Nicolas Anelka adds to Chelsea problems as striker is sidelined just when Didier Drogba heads for Africa Cup of Nations

Nicolas Anelka will sit out Chelsea's matches against Birmingham and Fulham - leaving boss Carlo Ancelotti without his top three strikers for the London derby.

The France international is sidelined with a calf injury and while Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou are likely to make the trip to St Andrew's on Boxing Day, the pair will join up with the Ivory Coast for the Africa Cup of Nations 24 hours later.

Fulham make the short trip to Stamford Bridge on December 28 but the earliest Anelka is expected to return is the FA Cup tie against Watford on January 3.

Big miss: Anelka (right) has been in fine form for Chelsea this season

Doubts over the 30-year-old's fitness could accelerate moves to sign Sergio Aguero from Atletico Madrid or Wolfsburg's Edin Dzeko.

Experienced Italy international Luca Toni, 32, could be a short-term
solution and he is available on a free transfer from Bayern Munich this
winter, but Ancelotti insists he has faith in his squad.

'No, I'm not changing my mind,' insisted Ancelotti. 'I didn't ask (owner) Roman (Abramovich) for new players and he has not asked me if I want them.

'I have a lot of confidence in my strikers. Not only Drogba, not only Kalou, not only Anelka. Also (Daniel) Sturridge and (Fabio) Borini.

Admired: Chelsea are among the teams tracking Wolfsburg's Edin Dzeko

'Against Fulham, maybe we'll only have Sturridge and Borini. But in
January we'll have Anelka and, in January, he'll be ready to play.'

Highly rated: Fabio Borini

Midfielders Michael Essien and John Mikel Obi are also set for
Africa Cup of Nations duty, but Ancelotti reiterated: 'I didn't ask for
new players. I think that we have good solutions internally. Even if we
lose the African players.

'If you have new players, maybe it's a problem in February or March. We don't need them in this moment, to have new players.

'Anelka has a little injury, a muscle problem. It's a small problem but he's not ready to play in these games.

'We will still have 11 against Fulham. Sturridge has an opportunity
to show his qualities. He played against West Ham very well in that
second half and, maybe, against Birmingham he can play from the
beginning.'

Ancelotti is so confident, he will not even recall striker Franco di Santo from his loan spell at Blackburn.